An Ornamental Life
by Tirsh
Summary: The story of Sam and Jules as told through a few special Christmas Ornaments. Daddy!Sam and Froggie in the present with lots of Jammy flashbacks. Set post Slow Burn, AU, spoilers throughout - No Season Five Spoilers - Chapter 2 now up! References to my story Robots Dingoes and Frogs Oh My - if you haven't yet - you might want to read that one first.
1. An Ornamental Life

**A/N:** So a few days ago I agreed to participate in a secret Santa type fic exchange with some writerly friends and I got a little carried away before the wish lists/prompts even got exchanged and so I here I am with a story that I can't possibly sit on until December. So I decided to post this first chapter today as a thank you to my sweet friends CTI_Jenn and Syurri who wrote fics just for me and posted them for my birthday yesterday - and for Mollylyn who promised me hers is coming Tuesdayish Conveniently, one of them is also the person this story would have been written for if I could wait and follow the rules. Now I will just hope inspiration strikes again before the actual exchange. This story stands alone but takes place in the same AU as my other stories. If you haven't met Froggie yet you might want to read her other stories first. Note: there is mention here of an Inukshuk – it's kind of a Canadian thing – if you are not familiar with them google is your friend. As always, reviews are much loved and appreciated!

**Disclaimer: Not mine. Except Froggie. **

An Ornamental Life

"Okay Froggles," Sam smiled at his baby girl, perched on his right hip, "Are you ready to help Mommy and Daddy decorate the Christmas tree?" She squealed delightedly in response, "I'll take that as a yes. Now, Mommy has lots of rules, first we need the appropriate music," he slipped Jules' ipod into the dock, "Do you want to help Daddy push the button?" he held her hand in his guiding her tiny finger to the power button and helping her push. "Look what you did! Magic," he said as the opening strains of White Christmas filled the air and she bounced on his hip excitedly clapping her hands.

"Mommy's making the hot chocolate. Can't decorate the tree without hot chocolate and marshmallows." He sat down on the couch with JJ on his lap and plucked the Santa hat from the top of the ornament box where it had been stored since the previous year. "And Daddy has to wear the hat," he sighed as he settled it on his head. JJ promptly reached up and pulled it off. "I completely agree, it looks ridiculous, but it makes Mommy happy," Sam took it from her gently and put it back on, and she pulled it off again, giggling delightedly at her new game. "Okay, well you're going to have to take that up with Mommy." He laughed as he let her hang on to it for the time being.

Rising and plunking her back on his hip, he crossed over to the tree. After several years, Sam had finally won the pre-lit tree argument so with a flip of a switch they had lights, and the tree was ready for ornaments. He squatted down, removing the lid from the ornament box, explaining to JJ as he did so, "Now the ornaments in this box are the ones that have a special meaning, they all have a sto - Ow!" he exclaimed as JJ grabbed and pulled hard on his ear, "Listen, you little turkey," he said, gently prying her fingers open and removing her hand from his ear, "I believe we had this conversation yesterday. And the day before that. Daddy's ears are NOT handles." She patted his cheek with her little hand, "Yeah, I see how sweet you can be when you want to, turkey. Anyway, as I was saying, these ones have a story." He unwrapped the tissue from the one on top, revealing one of his favourites. "This is one that Mommy gave to Daddy the very first time we decorated a tree together."

_Sam sat cross-legged on the living room floor, Santa hat perched on his head, draped in what he figured were at least 4 strings of multi-coloured Christmas lights, ever so patiently trying to untangle them. He looked so adorable that Jules, from her position on the couch, could not resist snapping a picture with her phone. He glanced up at the sound. "Really?" he asked sarcastically. "I agreed to wear the hat; I did not agree to a photo shoot."_

_"You agreed to wear the hat if I agreed to sit here like a bump on a log. You can't expect me not to try and have a little fun," She pouted. It was still somewhat early in her recovery after being shot and although she was doing well – better than anyone expected really – she still tired easily and they had already had a full day. So, at Sam's insistence and much eye rolling resistance from her, she was comfortably ensconced on the couch under a quilt with a pillow tucked under her left side. Even though she knew he was right and that she would regret it tomorrow if she overdid it today, she still bristled at any and all attempts he made to take care of her. "Just be glad you didn't take your shirt off," she grinned. She had jokingly asked him to when he put the hat on and he had declined saying he felt "cold" by which he meant "ridiculous enough."_

_"Because if I had…" he prompted, no idea where she was going with this._

_"Because if you had, I might just have to put that picture on my Christmas cards this year," she flipped the phone around to show him the picture, "It's just not the same with the shirt," she shook her head in mock disappointment._

_He rolled his eyes, "So we can't be seen carpooling to HQ but me half naked on the front of your Christmas cards is totally okay?"_

_She shrugged, unapologetic. "Call it my contribution to the Arts. Anyway, I said it was a good thing didn't I?"_

_"Just so long as I'm clear on the rules," he muttered good naturedly, returning his attention to the tangle of lights._

_A while later as he finally freed the last string of lights he said, "You know, babe, not that this," he held up the offending lights," wasn't fun, but next year we should maybe think about getting one of those pre-lit trees," he winced, afraid to look at her, realizing immediately what he had done._

_"Sam," she cautioned._

_"I know, I know," he tried to brush it off, "just forget I said anything."_

_"It's just…" she tried again but he interrupted her, slapping his thighs and jumping to his feet._

_"I'm going to get some hot chocolate. You want some hot chocolate?"_

_"I'll get it," she got carefully to her feet._

_"Jules, don't," he said, hating to see her struggle in any way, "I'll get it. It's no big deal."_

_"Sam! Just stop it," she snapped at him, "I can make the damn hot chocolate without over taxing myself!" Her frustration at him, at their situation, at her limitations all bubbled over making her tone sharper than she intended. "You… put the lights on the tree or something," she threw over her shoulder as she headed to the kitchen._

_"Fine," he muttered to her retreating back, annoyed that the mere mention of them in the same breath with the future was enough to spoil the mood. He hadn't meant to say it but he wasn't sorry either. He was done apologizing for the way he felt about her. He wasn't an idiot, he knew the writing was on the wall, but there were weeks yet, maybe even months before she came back to team one. As far as he was concerned that was plenty of time to change the details of the story._

_He finished draping the lights around the tree and turned the overhead light off leaving the room bathed only in the glow of the Christmas lights and a lamp on the end table. When Jules returned with two large steaming mugs of hot chocolate everything seemed to be back on an even keel, mood restored. "They look great," she said looking at the tree as she handed him his mug._

_"Mmm, marshmallows!" he said happily before taking a tentative sip of the piping hot liquid. As he lowered his mug, Jules grinned at the trace of marshmallow foam on his upper lip._

_"Let me get that for you," she offered, stepping closer and stretching up on her toes to place a tender kiss on his lips, her tongue darting out to swipe his upper lip as she did so._

_"Mmm. Thanks." he took advantage, deepening the kiss, luxuriating in the moment for just a bit before pulling back. "Now, come on," he tugged her hand, leading her back to the couch. She sat down sideways, leaning against the armrest, knees bent, feet up on the couch. He sat down beside her and, as she always did, she immediately tucked her toes under his thigh making him smile. He reached forward to put his mug on the coffee table and retrieved the pillow from where it had fallen to the floor, offering it to her as he leaned back. When she looked like she'd rather stuff it down his throat than take it from him, he rolled his eyes lightly, "Would it kill you to just humour me every now and then?"_

_"I suppose not," she smiled and took the pillow, tucking it behind her, "but I think maybe you shouldn't have spent quite so much time at the "annoying nurse" booth on Career Day," she grumbled._

_"Maybe I missed my calling," he grinned, pleased to have won that small battle, "So what's next?"_

_"The ornaments," she pointed to the small blue Rubbermaid container at the end of the couch._

_"What's in there?" Sam nodded toward a larger container at the base of the tree._

_"The other ornaments," she said matter-of-factly._

_"Kay...?" he said clearly confused about the difference between the two ornament boxes as he pulled the blue one onto his lap._

_"These ones," Jules clarified, as she took off the lid and dropped it to the floor, "are the special ones, the ones with a story."_

_"And those ones?" he asked._

_"Just regular ornaments – glittery balls and coloured baubles and such so my tree doesn't look too Charlie Brown."_

_He peered into the box. Unlike the lights, which had been thrown in their box in a careless clump that made the squared-away soldier in him want to go fetal, these were lovingly preserved, each wrapped in tissue and nestled in the container._

_As Sam carefully unwrapped each one and placed it on the couch beside him to be hung after, Jules told him her stories. Some were from her childhood – a cinnamon stick and pipe cleaner reindeer, a ball of sheared wool on a string that she assured him was a sheep, a picture of a pig-tailed five year old on Santa's knee in a small pewter frame, and a small red felt stocking decorated with orange rickrack, her name lovingly applied in silver glitter glue. "Who's Julian?" he grinned at her._

_"Julianna, you dork," she said with affection as she smacked him lightly in the arm._

_"Like it's my fault you couldn't spell your own name?" he teased._

_"Sam, the letters are coming off – I made it in grade 2 – it's almost 30 years old."_

_"So when did you drop the fancy part and become Jules?" he was enjoying this chance to find out some of the things he'd always wondered about._

_She wrinkled her nose trying to remember, "I don't know grade 6, maybe 7, whenever the tomboy thing really kicked in. My dad still insists on Julianna. It always makes me feel like I'm in trouble for something."_

_"Oh, I am definitely in trouble if either of my parents busts out the Samuel," he gave a fake shudder as she laughed._

_She wrinkled her nose again looking at him trying the name on for size, "Samuel? Nope doesn't work. Sammy?" she asked._

_"Not if you want me to answer," he matched her playful tone, "My sister gets away with it occasionally but only because if I punch her my mom will bust out the Samuel."_

_"It must be so hard to be you," she said, not at all sympathetic._

_"You have no idea," he laughed._

_Other ornaments and stories were from her teenage years. "This one is pretty," he commented holding up a delicate glass angel, watching as it twinkled in the lamplight._

_"I bought that one in memory of a friend," she said quietly, both hands wrapped around her mug, eyes cast downward, suddenly absorbed in the surface of her hot chocolate. That was obviously all she was going to say about that._

_Still others were from her adult life, long before he knew her. He chuckled as he opened the next bit of tissue to reveal 4 different RCMP officers in assorted Christmas finery and a grizzly bear wearing a Mountie hat. He was pretty sure he could guess the why but he raised his eyebrows in question, "Five?"_

_"My dad and my brothers. My academy graduation was shortly before Christmas. The funny thing is they did it independently and each of them thought he was being so clever and original," he could hear the obvious affection for all of them in her voice._

_"And the grizzly bear?"_

_"That's because Josh is just a little more clever and original than the others. It's also possible that the bear part was a commentary on my personality. He's kind of an ass like that," she grinned._

_"So, what? Five Mounties and not a single bauble to commemorate making the SRU?"_

_"Sniper ornaments not as easy to find as you might think," she joked._

_"It's kind of a niche market but surely there's a polar bear sporting Kevlar, carrying a Remy out there somewhere," he grinned at her._

_"I know, right? You would think there would be."_

_As he unpacked the last of them he started to stand up saying, "Well, I guess I should get these on the tree then." She stopped him with a hand on his thigh._

_"Sam,wait." She leaned over to put her mug on the table and reached down to grab her purse from where she had tucked it earlier beside the couch. "I got you something." She retrieved a small bag from her purse and reached inside, handing him a tissue wrapped treasure._

_As he slowly unwrapped it, he wasn't sure what he expected to find but this wasn't it. "Jules, it's an Inukshuk wearing a Santa hat," he said, bewildered, "I mean, thank you but I –" he trailed off not sure what else to say._

_"I should explain," she said, not really sure what to say. He was the sap, not her. "It was the closest thing I could find to a rock."_

_"Of course, that makes perfect sense," he teased._

_"Just shut up and let me finish," she reached for his hand and linked her fingers with his, concentrating on a small white scar on the back of his hand rather than look at him. "I wanted to get you something to say thank you. These last few weeks, Sam, you've been my rock. Even though I haven't been very nice to you and I frankly, want to throttle you - a lot," at that she did look up briefly and grin at him, "and I'm sure you must want to throttle me -you've hung in there with me and I don't know that I could have done it without you."_

_"You could've, Jules. You would've. You're stronger than any ten people I know," he said honestly._

_"Physically, maybe," she conceded, "that part is just one foot in front of the other – but I might have lost my mind if I had to do it alone. So, anyway, thank you. For being my rock," he was clearly touched and that embarrassed her so she kept rambling, "I didn't know anything about Inukshuks and I wanted to make sure it wasn't…I don't know… weird…so I looked them up and they symbolize all kinds of things – strength and motivation and perseverance – so there's all that too," she finished sheepishly._

_"Are you done?" he asked grinning now, amused at her discomfort with saying something so nice to him._

_"Yes. I am."_

_"Good." He tipped up her chin because she still refused to look at him, "I love it. Thank you." he leaned in and kissed her sweetly. "I meant it you know."_

_"Meant what?"_

_"As long as it takes," he lifted their still joined hands and flipped them over, placing a kiss on the back of hers, "I'll be here. Now," he continued quickly not wanting to put a damper on things by getting too serious for her, "Can I hang my ornament on the tree?"_

_"Sure, I'll help," she said, reaching for the little packet of metal hooks on the coffee table. And so they decorated the rest of the tree together, Jules putting the ornaments on the hanger and Sam, under her careful supervision, hanging them on the tree. The special ornaments were given places of honour first and then the colourful baubles filled out the rest. After they finished, she stood in front of the tree in the circle of his embrace, admiring their handiwork. "Looks good. We make a great team."_

_"It does and we do," he agreed._

_"Sam? What's that?" she asked as something caught her eye on the tree, something she knew hadn't come out of either of her ornament boxes._

_"What's what?" he asked innocently knowing exactly what she was referring to._

_"That!" she said pointing to the offending blue and green ball with the Vancouver Canucks logo on it. "When did you do that?"_

_"When you went to the bathroom earlier," he shrugged, "I knew we were decorating the tree today so I brought it from home. It's okay, isn't it?"_

_"Why can't you put it on your tree?" she pouted, not sure why it bothered her._

_"I'm not putting up a tree. Why would I? Between work and you, I'll never be home to enjoy it anyway," he wasn't really sure why it was such a big deal either, unless…"Wait, you're not a Leafs fan are you?" he said it like the mere word was distasteful to him._

_"No." Sam breathed an audible sigh of relief, "I suppose I don't really care one way or the other about the team, but why do I feel like you just peed on my tree, Sam?"_

_He rolled his eyes even as he chuckled, "Relax Babe, it's just an ornament. Nobody's marking their territory. If it's going to bug you, I'll take it off." He reached out and plucked it off the tree and Jules instantly missed its presence on her tree._

_"No, put it back on. It's okay," she still sounded unconvinced._

_"Are you sure? Because I can hang it on the tree at the barn," he offered._

_"No," she took it from his fingers and hung it back where it had been, "It looks like it belongs there," she said, the symbolism not entirely lost on either of them._

_"You're sure?" he asked one more time, ducking his head to drop a quick kiss on her neck._

_"I'm sure," she nodded then said pensively, "I've never let anyone hang an ornament on my tree before, and now you have two on there."_

_He didn't say a word but he couldn't stop the huge grin that spread across his face at her comment. "Oh shut up!" she shoved him lightly in the chest._

Jules' returned carrying the mugs of hot chocolate, carefully flipping the off switch on the overhead light with her elbow as she came into the living room, "Did you start without me?"

"Not really," Sam answered leaning in to give her a kiss, "we just did the one."

"Sam, you're not wearing the hat."

"Little missy here is not a fan," he nodded his head to JJ, "I told her you had rules, but you two are going to have to work it out."

Jules put the mugs down on the coffee table and scooped JJ out of her daddy's arms, "Did you steal Daddy's hat?" to Sam she smirked as she said, "I heard a yelp. She get your ear again?"

"It's not funny," he grumbled.

"It's a little bit funny, isn't it?" she asked JJ, bouncing her on her hip. "Daddy's funny, isn't he?"


	2. Raising a Cantaloupe

Raising a Cantaloupe

**A/N: This one picks up right where chapter 1 left off. There are very definite references to Robots Dingoes and Frogs Oh My! in this one so if you haven't been introduced to Froggie yet you might want to read that first. Thanks so much for everyone who has favourited and followed this story, I'm glad that you're all enjoying it. And a very special thank you to those who go the extra step and take a few minutes to post a review and tell me what they liked - I really do love them and they totally make my day! **

**Disclaimer: Not mine. Except Froggie.  
**

"Maybe JJ wants to wear the hat?" Jules perched the Santa hat on top of JJ's head, where, several sizes too big, it promptly dipped low over one eye, causing her to reach up and pull it off with a giggle. "Nope! No hat for JJ. How about Mommy? Can Mommy wear the hat?" she took it from her daughter and put it on her own head. "Please can Mommy wear the hat?"

"Yes," Sam piped up, "please can Mommy wear the hat?" just as JJ made a grab for the pom pom and gave it a yank.

"No hat for Mommy," Jules exaggerated her pout making JJ laugh and clap her hands still holding on to the pom pom, "How about Daddy? Mommy likes it when Daddy wears the hat. Let's give Daddy the hat," she leaned JJ toward Sam to see if she would give it to him herself.

She held out the hat to Sam even as she pursed her little lips and said "No!" making Sam laugh and Jules narrow her eyes.

Sam took the hat from her and reluctantly put it on his head grinning at his daughter, "I don't think you know what that word means cheeky girl. And I think Mommy is going to have a few choice words with Uncle Spikey next time she sees him."

"Our baby's first word is 'no' thanks to him," she said indignantly, "he'll be lucky if the only thing I have with him is words." At just shy of 8 months, JJ was just starting to string letters together in her happy babbling – at this point they were just sounds that she could make and she didn't actually attach any meaning to them but Jules was still annoyed. She had been trying secretly for weeks to coax JJ to say Mama and although she had no proof, she was fairly sure her competitive husband was doing the same with Dada, and in one night Spike had taught her to say no.

He and Natalie had come over for supper on the weekend and Spike had made a game of it with JJ, wagging his finger at her and saying "nonononono" over and over again to peals of laughter. She hadn't said it that night so they had been hopeful that it wouldn't stick. However, the next morning Jules had gone to collect her in the nursery with a breezy "Good morning, baby girl!" and was greeted with a cheerful little "no." That morning the peals of laughter had come from their bedroom as Sam heard the whole thing on the monitor. Since then the answer to almost every question had been a cheerful little "no."

"See, doesn't Daddy look cute in the hat?" she asked JJ as Sam rolled his eyes.

"No!" Even though she'd seen it coming it still made Jules giggle.

"You two are a regular comedy team."

"Clearly she has absolutely no idea what the word means because you are adorable," Jules tried to appease him, "Poor Daddy," she grinned at JJ. "I think you hurt his feelings."

"If you two are finished insulting my manhood…" he reached for his hot chocolate.

"Don't worry, Babe. Last I checked, your manhood could take the hit."

Poor daddy indeed – In moments like these, with his two beautiful girls, his heart so full it was ready to burst, Sam was pretty sure he was the luckiest guy in the world. They had come a long way in the years since that first Christmas together. Certainly there had been times when, if you had told him they would end up here, he would never have believed it; sometimes he wasn't sure he believed it now. But knowing where they had ended up, he wouldn't change a moment of their story. And many of their moments were represented in the ornament box.

After Jules had given him that first ornament and let him hang it on her tree, it had become kind of thing between them, and over the years the balance had shifted. As the cherished memories multiplied they moved to the big box and the filler ornaments to the smaller box. Ornaments were exchanged, sometimes at Christmas, sometimes randomly throughout the year, as a way to celebrate the milestones, moments and occasions, big and small along the way. Each one held a memory, and every year, as they put their tree up, they remembered, and now even though she was still really too little to care, they were starting to share those stories with their daughter.

He loved the memories and tradition cherished in their box of ornaments, loved that they told the stories of her life and of their life together, wished that he had something similar from his own childhood. Before his sister's accident their family tree had been much like Jules', with lots of special ornaments and memories – baby's first Christmas, grade school crafts, pictures with Santa – but the first Christmas after her death it was all gone. In its place stood a silver and red, perfectly decorated and to Sam's mind, soulless tree, completely lacking any Christmas spirit or personality. He had hoped that it was because it was just too fresh, too painful that first year but the year after that was the same and all the years after that. After so many moves from base to base, he wasn't even sure the box was still around. He'd always wanted to ask if it was, to ask if he could have it, but he could never bring himself to open up old wounds. Never felt like it was the right moment or that his reasons were good enough to dredge it all up for his mom. Perhaps now that he was starting his own traditions with his daughter he would find the nerve, so that maybe his baby's first Christmas ornament could hang on their tree with JJ's.

_It was well after midnight when Jules closed the door behind their last party guests, Spike and Natalie, flipped the deadbolt, turned off the outside light and resisted the urge to slide down the door to rest on the floor. Only the knowledge that she probably wouldn't be able to get back up again without assistance stopped her from doing so. Instead she wandered back into the kitchen where Sam was already cleaning up. She climbed up into one of the high chairs at the island and sighed heavily as she slumped over, resting her chin on her hands. "I thought they would never leave." _

"_No, really, you relax. I'll clean up," he grinned at her pretending to reject the offer of help that she hadn't made, as he finished loading the dishwasher and pushed the button. _

"_True or false – If I had come over there and tried to help, you would have taken me by the shoulders and steered me back to this very chair while telling me to relax and you had it under control?" _

_He looked sheepish, "Completely true." _

"_So I skipped a couple of steps. So sue me," she joked, "Anyway, it can wait until morning, Sam."_

"_It's fine. I'm just gonna make sure all the leftovers are put away. Making this little shindig potluck was a stroke of genius. People brought so much food, we probably won't have to cook for days." _

"_Good. You'll be well taken care of while I sleep. Until Tuesday." Sam smiled as she folded her arms on the counter and laid her cheek on them. _

"_Still think we should host a team Christmas party every year?" _

"_No. Yes. I don't' know. Ask me in about a year." She answered him without raising her head. _

_He tucked the last of the party food away in the fridge, left some of the more stubborn messes in the sink to soak and gave the counter one last wipe. The rest could wait until morning. He crossed over to her chair and spun it around gently so he could stand in front of her, cradled between her knees. She wrapped her arms around him and resettled with her head on his chest, a little sigh of contentment escaping, as he rubbed her back in gentle circles. "C'mon Sweetheart. Let me take you up to bed and tuck you in." He tried to pull back a little and she held him tighter. _

"_Mmm. Not yet," her voice was muffled by his sweater. _

"_Then come in the living room with me. I want to show you something." _

_She shook her head without raising it from his chest, "Too much like work. Carry me." _

_Before she could change her mind, he looped her arms around his neck and easily scooped her up out of the chair. "Sam, I was kidding," she protested, "I'm too heavy. Put me down." _

"_Pfft, please," he dismissed her concerns, "even at six months pregnant, Sarge still has at least 50 pounds on you."_

"_You carry Sarge like this?" she grinned at him, threading her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck, "How romantic." _

"_Not exactly," he chuckled, "but a fireman carry is kind of out of the question at the moment for you." He reached the couch and rather than setting her down, he turned around and sat down himself, cradling her in his lap. She wiggled a little bit to get more comfortable and snuggled in. With the lights from the tree and the soft Christmas music playing in the background, it was perfect._

"_How come you're not tired?" she asked him, a little annoyed at how bright eyed and wide awake he was, "You worked all week." _

"_So did you," he reminded her, but he grinned as he did so because he knew that she didn't really consider the negotiation training seminars that she was doing now real 'work,' "and I'm not expending any energy making a baby. And, because you refuse to wake me up, I'm sleeping fine while said baby keeps you up all night." This was a recurring issue during the last couple of weeks as the baby had started keeping a busy nocturnal schedule. Sam felt like he should be awake if she was and she insisted on letting him sleep. _

"_I told you, I don't want you to be tired at work." She reached up to touch his cheek, "you need to stay on your toes. Doesn't matter if I'm tired at work – doesn't take a lot of brain power to advise rookie unis that perhaps 'jackass' is not their best bet when addressing a subject."_

"_You're hilarious." he said sarcastically, "Do you suppose there will ever be a time when that won't be funny to you?"_

"_I do not foresee such a time, no. Anyway," she returned to the original topic at hand, "there is nothing you can do in the middle of the night so you might as well be sleeping."_

"_I could keep you company," he smiled, "I could keep you from lying there thinking about how much you hate me for sleeping through it all." _

_He knew her so well. "Hate is such a strong word," she hedged. _

"_Accurate though at two o'clock in the morning I'll bet," he dropped a kiss on the top of her head. "Did the baby enjoy the party?" _

"_YOUR baby slept through the whole thing and in typical fashion woke up about five minutes ago," she reached for his hand and placed it on her rounded belly in the spot currently under assault from a busy little foot. _

"_How come he's MY baby when he's irritating you?" he grinned. _

"_Because you're both brats," she grinned at him. _

_Sam's eyes widened as felt the tiniest of thumps under his hand, "I will never get tired of that," he said, his voice full of wonder. _

"_It gets a little old at 3 AM but I know what you mean." _

"_Well, I'm off shift now for three whole days, so tonight I can stay awake with you." _

"_And do what Sam? It's not like I can just hand the baby over and let you deal while I get some sleep." _

"_No, although," he paused as he rubbed her belly, "I can hardly wait until that day comes. But maybe I'll just occupy myself by finding ways to remind you how much you love me." _

"_Pretty sure of yourself, aren't you?" she stilled his hand with her own and moved it to a new spot._

"_Yeah, well, you told me you did that one time," he joked, "Busy little dude, isn't he?" _

"_Sam, stop!" she scolded him, "We don't actually KNOW it's a dude." Sam was so sure he'd even started calling the baby B-cubed as a joke, short for Baby Boy Braddock. _

"_We sort of know," he insisted, "I know those test thingies aren't 100%..." _

_She laughed, "They're not even a little bit close to 100% Sam." They had agreed that healthy was the only important thing and that they didn't want to know, but everyone had an opinion on the matter and would try to guess. The 'test thingies' he referred to were all the gender predicting myths and supposed indicators that they had been peppered with from well meaning friends and family._

"_But the slower heart beat, the swinging ring," he protested, "and you hardly had any morning sickness, and you've practically given up chocolate but we should probably buy stocks in Lays chips, and we've already established how active baby is." _

"_Well, I've never had a baby before so maybe this is just a regular amount of active – it's not like I have anything to compare it to. I'm also carrying very low, but Sam, NONE of this is very scientific. It's all just old wives' tales." _

"_But they can't ALL be wrong can they?" he looked so cute, almost pouting trying to convince her that she didn't have the heart to rationalize everything, "And you said it 'felt' like a boy." _

"_I kind of think it is, too. Just promise me you won't be disappointed if it's a girl," pleading brown eyes met clear blue as she looked up at him. _

"_Jules," he said seriously, his hand leaving her belly to cup her face, "I could never be disappointed by this baby in any way," he leaned in to place a soft kiss on her lips, "Ever._

"_But I heard a new one tonight," he grinned at her, "Sophie told me that girl babies steal their mama's beauty during the pregnancy. And you, have never been more beautiful." _

"_And this baby has turned you into an even bigger sap than you were before," she teased even as she blushed, "I had no idea that was even possible." And baby wasn't even born yet. Jules had a fleeting thought that Sam didn't have a prayer if this baby was a girl. _

_She laid her head on his shoulder, absently placing his seeking hand back on the right spot, so he could feel the tiny kicks again. "Did you really bring me in here to show me something or was that just a ruse?" she asked, suddenly remembering his words in the kitchen. _

"_Oh yeah," he chuckled, "I got distracted." He reached over to the end table and handed her a small tissue wrapped object, "Natalie found the solution to my problem yesterday." Sam had been searching for the perfect Baby's First Christmas ornament and had been very discouraged to find that they, with very few exceptions, all pertained to the first Christmas after the baby was born. And this, as he had explained to Jules, was unacceptable to him, "The baby IS already here with us this Christmas, a part of our lives as surely as it will be next year so THIS is the first Christmas." _

_Jules carefully unwrapped the tissue to reveal what appeared to be a small book with Baby's First Christmas written on the front in calligraphy script. "It's beautiful, Sam." _

"_Open it," he said, clearly proud of himself. _

"_Ooh, it opens?" she smiled at him as she flipped the little clasp on the side that she hadn't noticed before, and opened the book to reveal a double picture frame. Her breath caught as she looked at the pictures he had put inside, "Sam, it's perfect." _

_On one side was a copy of her 6 month ultrasound and on the other was a picture they had taken just the day before. Since about 6 weeks into her pregnancy they had been taking profile pictures of Jules each week, documenting her growing belly. But at a suggestion they had read in a baby book, they had also been taking pictures each week of the two, well three, of them with Jules holding a fruit or vegetable that represented the size of the baby that week. They had started at week 8 when the baby was just a little raspberry and since then the baby had been among other things, a lemon, an avocado, a mango, and a pomegranate. Now, at 24 weeks, smiling at them from inside the frame, Jules proudly held a cantaloupe in front of her belly. _

"_It really is perfect, Sam," she kissed him sweetly before attempting to wiggle off his lap. He tightened his arms around her. _

"_Where are you and the little cantaloupe going?" he was grinning. _

"_WE are going to hang it on the tree and then go to bed." _

"_Baby starting to settle down?" _

"_Nope. Busy as ever, I probably won't be sleeping anytime soon, but I want my jams and my pillow," he loosened his hold and she stood up and then offered her hand to him, "and my husband. Come on, come tuck me in." _

_He took the proffered hand and let her help pull him to his feet, "Don't need to ask me twice." _

_Ten minutes later, Sam was already curled up on his side in bed when Jules lifted the covers and slipped in beside him, tucking herself into the curve of his body, little spoon to his big spoon. Sighing heavily, she wished she could just let exhaustion take over and sleep for days but the little acrobat in her stomach had other ideas. "Babe, you can't keep doing this. You're going to need to cave and take a nap every now and then if you're going to make it through the next few months." Jules had thus far stubbornly refused to nap, feeling like it was a sign of weakness to need sleep in the middle of the day. Sam on the other hand had no such shame and loved naps. As a soldier in Afghanistan for four years, he could probably count the number of nights of peaceful sleep he'd gotten on one hand. He had learned to sleep when sleep was available and to make it count. "You know what they say… sleep when the baby sleeps. I think that applies before they are born too." _

"_I suppose. I mean at some point, I'll just fall over right?" she joked. _

"_There is no shame in a little restorative snooze every now and then," he assured her, "but it can be our little secret if you want. Find the spot for me," he said reaching around to settle his hand on her belly. "So, what are you thinking about while you lie here awake… you know, besides how much you hate me for sleeping?" _

"_All kinds of things." _

"_Such as…?" he prompted. _

"_Things like are there any salt and vinegar chips left in the pantry and where did my waist go and will I ever see it again. Things like why did they let a man design the maternity pants for the uniforms." _

"_Did they?" he half laughed. _

"_Well they weren't designed by anyone who ever had a baby that's for damn sure." _

"_Okay. What else?" _

"_Last night I spent some time wondering what peanut butter would taste like on pickles, and whether it should be a dill pickle or a gherkin." _

"_I'm going to have to go with disgusting either way," he fought the urge to gag just thinking about it. _

"_You think? I think it might be kind of yummy." _

"_If you decide to test out your theory – don't do it in front of me," he'd seen her put some pretty interesting combos together over the last month or so but a guy had to draw the line somewhere. _

"_I also think about whether we're ready for this," she said quietly. _

"_For parenthood?" at her slight nod he continued, "we'll be ready when we need to be." _

"_How can you be so sure?" _

"_Because it's what we do, Jules. We make a living being ready for anything. We figure it out and if that doesn't work, we figure out another way. Parenting is really just tac plans and negotiation." He knew he was simplifying things but he also knew he wasn't all that far off either. "All we can do is take it one day at a time. And besides, how hard can it be to take care of a cantaloupe?" he teased. _

"_I suppose," she agreed but she still sounded less than convinced. _

"_Look, the best thing that we can do for our baby is to love each other, and we have that covered. In spades. And there is one other thing I know for sure," he said. _

"_What's that?" she looked at him over her shoulder. _

"_There is no one in the world that I would rather raise a cantaloupe with," he kissed her on the side of the cheek. _

"_Why do you suppose he sleeps all day and bounces around all night?" he asked a while later, his hand tracing small lazy circles on her tummy. _

"_I don't know, I suppose all the movement during the day when I am up and about lulls him to sleep and as soon as I slow down he wakes up. This better not be one of those babies that will only sleep in the car," she muttered. _

"_So," he said suggestively, his lips teasing the sensitive hollow just below her ear, "Maybe we should, you know, lull him back to sleep." _

"_Ugh. You KNEW the answer to that question, didn't you? I walked right into that one. This baby is making me dumb." Sam knew better than to respond to that but she could feel his smug grin against her neck. Damn him. Still…it wasn't the worst idea she'd ever heard. "I'll give you five minutes to convince me it'll be worth the effort." It was probably about three and half more than he would need – he could be very persuasive – but she was feeling generous. _

"_Five minutes?" he grinned, knowing the battle was already won, "I can totally work with that." _

"_Clock's ticking, soldier." _

"Well Froggie," Sam teased her as he opened the book and showed her the pictures inside, "I suppose we should have seen this contrary side of you coming. You were already saying 'no' back when you were still a little tadpole. 'No' I am not a boy. 'No' sleep for mommy. No, no, no. Good thing you're so cute!" he leaned over to kiss her cheek.

"No," she giggled.

Sam stood up to hang the little book on the tree. "What are we going to do this year? It's not too likely there are any baby's second Christmas ornaments to be found out there."

"I think I've got us covered," Jules handed him a long narrow box. He took the lid off to reveal a set of three small, blown glass tree frogs – brightly coloured in reds, oranges and greens.

"Jules," he ran his finger over them, touched, "they're perfect. Where did you find them?"

"Just in a kitschy little boutique down in Yorkville. Frog ornaments NOT as hard to find as you might think." She smiled as she rose holding JJ and came to stand beside him in front of the tree, "Now don't get me wrong – I still think we need to ditch this whole nickname before she hits puberty – but this year she has definitely been our little Froggie."

"What do you say Froggie, should we hang the frogs on the tree?" he winked at Jules.

"No!" they answered with her, even as she reached for the box, and Sam took the first one out.


End file.
